This bulletin relates to the meeting of 19^th March. There hasn’t been a Bulletin since 5 February as Hansard has been MIA for a couple of meetings and we had the Chiang Mai dinner and visit to the Rotary Kokoda Memorial Wall on 5 March as a meeting substitution. The midges gave us all a very warm welcome and it was a very successful evening. Food, company and the event at the wall were great.

 

Letitia is enjoying her new role as Head of IT. I think if she wasn’t such a nice person they would be able to hear her swearing in Mt Isa!! Nevertheless, congrats Letitia we had our first “offshore” speaker through the new system and it worked well notwithstanding that NSW still insists on keeping daylight saving or is It that QLD cows are backward and can’t move with the times?

 

We had a number of guests at the meeting.

 

Deborah Obrien came to hear Charlie Teo.

Steve Manchester also popped in for the same reason.

Dawn (sorry I forgot second name) was there to help with the IT.

Diana Richards who may be looking at Joining us from Rotary in Sydney also attended.

Mike Gosling was also there.

 

Howard had some updates for us regarding members / honorary members. Alan Kanga Moore has passed away. (George, David and respective partners attended his memorial in Melbourne). Alan and Lyn Gerrard have continuing health issues and Judi Reid has decided after many years not to renew with Rotary as she moves onto a new phase in life. She will be missed for her bubbly self and of course her commitment to the activities of the club.

 

Howard advised us that the word from District is that we have already exceeded the District target of 1300 active members prior to the end of the financial year.

 

Howard reminded us of the Canungra visit and the upcoming Baton Relay.

 

None of the Directors had anything new to report other than Dennis who said he was having a SERES project meeting in the next day or so and will update us next week. Howard has previously sent out a Directors update to all members which has contains a comprehensive update on BOD activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changeover Dinner on 26^th June. SYC. Theme – What I wore to the Captain’s Table.

 

Rotary Kokoda Classic. 18^th September subject to GCCC approval. See you there along with another 1000 others hopefully!!

 

 

 

Professor Dr Charles Teo addressed us from Sydney using ZOOM and our new AV Platform. He introduced himself as a fellow Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellowship recipient.

 

As a precursor he talked about brain cancer as being incurable at this point with a life expectancy of 12 months maximum following diagnosis. Of all cancers it is the biggest killer in children and younger patients (less than 40 years old) and he contends has more socio economic impact than other cancers. Research into brain cancer receives very little funding as the ROI is seen as minimal with the expectation that people will die anyway. Eg Breast cancer research receives Fed funding of $150m pa and the cure rate is 85%. Brain cancer receives $3-5m and the cure rate is zero. He contends that more money equals a potential cure and cited the example of Leukemia. 45 years ago diagnosed patients had a 10% survival rate and today it is 90%.

 

His Foundation funds cancer research with an objective of trying to locate and help disruptive thinkers while keeping running costs of the foundation below 40% (currently 17%). He used the example of Dr Barry Marshall who was originally dismissed with his theories that peptic ulcers were bacterial and could be cured. When he was finally listened to, he had the cure and was awarded the Nobel prize for medicine. He gave us a examples of a couple of disruptive research programmes the foundation supports. One is using zero gravity where cancer cells seem to stop growing – what triggers this? Time of day of administration seems to have an impact on the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments.

 

He acknowledged quite openly with us that he is a divisive character both professionally and personally as the establishment medical profession views his risk taking in surgery, admittedly in cases which other surgeons won’t attempt, as bordering on irresponsible. He openly admitted his failure rate is about 28% and he contends the 72% success rate in otherwise hopeless cases justifies the risk. Patients are full engaged in the risk assessment process. He has also been the subject of media campaigns with respect to his personal conduct which he vehemently denies and is defending legally.

 

He thanked the club profusely for the support and accepted the cheque for $25k on behalf of the foundation.

 

 

Please feel free to change or substitute without me other than for prolonged absences. For prolonged absences let me know and I will block you off for the period in question

 

 

 

9 April – George Dorshimer, LTK Rail Engineering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NIL

 

 

NIL